Adare Manor Faces Formidable Group in Del Mar's Hirsch

Adare Manor  deserves favoritism in the 1 1/16-mile Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) Aug. 3 at Del Mar because she is on top of her game. The 5-year-old mare is back to defend her title, having won the race last year, and in her two most recent outings she triumphed by daylight in different parts of the country.

However, an army has amassed against the Bob Baffert-trained star in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event that will grant the winner an automatic, fees-paid berth to the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). Trainers Brendan Walsh and Bill Mott are shipping in Godolphin's Pretty Mischievous  and Juddmonte's Scylla , respectively. Both are dangerous, with Pretty Mischievous also boasting an Eclipse Award as the 2023 champion 3-year-old filly.

Adare Manor, owned by Michael Lund Petersen, has the most lifetime victories of the field, with nine. They span three seasons of racing and include seven graded stakes. She is 2-for-3 in 2024. After finishing second by just three-quarters of a length to Sweet Azteca  in the Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) to start her season, Baffert shipped her to Oaklawn Park for the April 13 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1). She led throughout to score by 5 1/2 lengths. Returned to Santa Anita Park, she trounced a good field in the May 26 Santa Margarita Stakes (G2) by 4 1/4 lengths, the second time she has won that race.

Like another distaffer who collected multiple editions of the same race—Zenyatta —Adare Manor is huge.

"She's an Amazon," Baffert has said.

Adare Manor would have to win here and successfully return in the 2025 Hirsch to match Zenyatta's record in this race. While her size does begin to invite comparisons, in one respect, they are completely different. Zenyatta dropped far back early and closed resolutely, while Adare Manor can be devastating on the lead.

Adare Manor, who drew post 2, has the services of her regular rider, Juan Hernandez, who is in an early battle with Umberto Rispoli for leading jockey at Del Mar.

Pretty Mischievous' talent and versatility make her formidable, and as an added bonus she picks up Rispoli to ride. She has yet to win this year, posting back-to-back thirds in the May 3 La Troienne Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs and June 8 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, her only outings against her elders. Nevertheless, Pretty Mischievous has that championship 3-year-old season, when she won the Kentucky Oaks (G1), Acorn Stakes (G1), Test Stakes (G1), and Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2).

Scylla, another 4-year-old shipper, has never finished worse than third in seven lifetime starts. She has won her last three—by seven lengths in allowance optional claiming company, by 3 1/4 lengths in the June 1 Shawnee Stakes (G3), and by a neck in the June 29 Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2), all at Churchill. Mike Smith will ride Scylla for the first time, and they drew post 3.

Smith has been piloting Coffee in Bed , winner of the April 21 Santa Maria Stakes (G2) and second to Adare Manor in the Santa Margarita. Trainer Richard Mandella named Kazushi Kimura to ride from post 4.

"She's doing great," Mandella said. "I think she's doing better than she has all year. Seems to be real happy here."

Sugar Fish  (Tyler Baze, post 6) is a 3-year-old going against older runners for the first time in a stakes. Trained by Jeff Mullins, she beat her elders earlier this year in allowance optional claimer company and then captured the Summertime Oaks (G2) for 3-year-olds by 9 3/4 lengths.

Trainer Todd Fincher brings Flying Connection  (Joe Talamo, post 1), who ran second to Adare Manor in the Apple Blossom. She won the Harry Henson Handicap at Sunland Park earlier this year, and ran second in last year's Torrey Pines Stakes (G3), one of four starts at Del Mar. Fincher also trains Olivia Twist  (Reylu Gutierrez, post 7), a stakes winner at Remington Park.

Desert Dawn , trained by Phil D'Amato and to be piloted by Antonio Fresu from post 5, ran second to Adare Manor in last year's Hirsch and won this year's La Canada Stakes (G3). Adare Manor finished ahead of fourth-place Desert Dawn in the March 9 Beholder Mile, and Desert Dawn most recently ran third in the Santa Maria.

"We gave her a little 30-day break at the farm," D'Amato said. "Just kind of recharged her batteries, and she's coming in really good."